Who I Am

I can tell you who and what I am. I am a product of the 1950’s middle class who grew up in the sprawling suburban community of the San Fernando Valley in Southern California. I am the daughter of a California stuntman who doubled for Hopalong Cassidy and a Southern belle from Charleston, South Carolina; one of millions, I’m sure, of unlikely pairings brought together during WWII.

I am a sister, a friend, wife, mother and grandmother.

I have worked in retail; as a real estate salesperson; later as an office manager of my husband’s dental office where I also wrote a multi-page monthly newsletter which included factual dental articles (of course) but also poetry, short stories and essays. And for over twenty years, our dental office sponsored an annual young person’s short story contest open to any and all students in Southern California. Some years we had over 300 entries. And over that time we donated in excess of $10,000 in prizes.

I have been writing from an early age, thanks to encouragement from my father (who turned to script writing after a bad stunt accident) and the dedicated – sometimes ruthlessly hard – nuns of St. Patrick’s Elementary School. Starting with journals when I was eight (we called them Dear Diaries back then) which I continued until I was 19 and then with short stories. But my writing has always taken a backseat to all the other tugs and pulls of my life.

In spite of many interruptions and changes in my personal life, I wrote and published a novel, Discord in Harmony, in 2004. And today I am ghostwriting the autobiography of a wealthy self-made millionaire who created his extraordinary business at the age of 17 with just $700 and a pickup truck. The man is a great storyteller and I look forward to seeing it published for him.

I am also intimidated. Quite intimidated after checking out some of the many excellent blogs on WordPress. What am I thinking trying to find a spot for myself in this crazy amazing blogging world? Yes, I am quite intimidated.

Thank you so much for your encouragement, transcribingmemory. What an inspiring and beautiful tribute you are creating for your grandmother. And I love the layout of your blog. I have so much to learn and I know I will gain insights from reading beautifully crafted blogs like yours. Thank you.